Dietetic Internship
Frequently Asked Questions
International Student Information and FAQ's
Q. What are the criteria needed to earn the Registered Dietitian
(RD) credential?
A. • Complete a minimum of a bachelor's degree
at a U.S. regionally accredited university or college that entails
course work approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics
Education (CADE) of The American Dietetic Association (ADA) in order
to be eligible for training (aka supervised practice or internship).
• Complete a CADE-accredited supervised practice program which
may be associated with graduate studies such as the internship program
here at UB.
• Pass a national examination
Q. Where do I start if I already have a degree?
A. If you already have a bachelor's degree that
is not in dietetics, you will need to have your college transcript
evaluated by a director of a dietetics program accredited by CADE.
In Buffalo, Buffalo State College has a CADE accredited Dietetics
Program. The program director will evaluate your completed academic
coursework and identify the courses that you are required to complete
at that school to meet the academic requirements for dietetic registration.
Once you have met this requirement, you are eligible to apply through
computer matching, to a CADE-accredited internship such as the internship
at UB. Please see the international
inquiry page of this web site if you have a foreign degree.
Q. Do I have to apply to both the internship program and the graduate program in nutrition at UB?
A. Yes, interns at the University at Buffalo are
full time interns and part-time graduate students in the nutrition
program which is housed in the department of exercise and nutrition
science within the School of Public Health and Health Professions.
Fifteen hours of graduate course work have been selected for interns
to take. Secondary recommendations, transcripts and career statement
are not required for the graduate application as you will send this
information in your formal internship application. You are required
to participate in computer matching along with applying to the internship
and the graduate nutrition program at UB.
Q. What qualities do you look for in intern candidates?
A. The supervised practice program at UB is a rigorous
program that requires an individual to be able to multi-task, to
be goal oriented and to have initiative. The adjustment to graduate
course work while newly applying knowledge to achieve the competencies
necessary for RD credentialing is quite a challenge. Candidates
who have performed adequately in the academic setting and have maintained
organization throughout their school and work or volunteer commitments
will be able to adjust well. Previous work or volunteer experience
may ease the adjustment. Energetic candidates with high motivation
levels to become a dietetic professional are qualities of interest.
Q. What types of jobs and salary will I be eligible for and what is the job outlook?
A. EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES for RDs are in the
following areas:
• Hospitals, HMOs or other health care facilities
• Sports nutrition and corporate wellness programs
• Private practice
• Community and public health settings
• Universities and medical centers
• Research areas
SALARIES AND JOB OUTLOOK
Based on ADA's 2002 Dietetics Compensation and Benefits Survey,
50 % of all RDs in the U.S. who have been working in the dietetic
field for four years or less earn between $33,000 and $42,000 per
year. This range varies by region, job description and increases
with years of experience as well as with obtainment of advanced
degrees and other certified credentials.
The employment of dietitians is expected to grow about as fast as
the average for all occupations because of increased emphasis on
disease prevention, a growing and aging population, and public interest
in nutrition. Employment in hospitals may not change or may actually
decline due to decreased patients' lengths of hospital stay and
better preventive care. Faster growth is expected for jobs related
to senior services including nursing homes, residential care facilities
as well as outpatient clinics and community/wellness programs for
the entire population. The internship program at UB is specifically
designed to prepare you for community/wellness job opportunities,
but given the breadth of experiences you will have at UB, you will
be prepared for all aspects of the dietetic profession.
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